


Triple Threat

by lahdolphin



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Getting Together, High School, Multi, Polyamory, Slight Canon Divergence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-05
Updated: 2016-06-05
Packaged: 2018-07-12 08:43:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7094764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lahdolphin/pseuds/lahdolphin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All Akiteru wanted to do was practice volleyball. The Small Giant and Saeko had other ideas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Triple Threat

**Author's Note:**

> Slight canon divergence because Saeko meets the Small Giant and Akiteru while she doesn't know much about them in canon. This takes place before Kei finds out about Akiteru and before the Small Giant joins the team as a regular.

Akiteru was a second year when _he_ showed up, the short guy with the crazy vertical jump. Akiteru still hadn’t been put on the regulars, but there were already rumors amongst the third years that the so-called Small Giant would be put in during the Nekoma-Karasuno summer training camp match.

Akiteru took the volleyball he was holding and pushed against it with all his might. When he put too much pressure on either side, the ball flew out of his hands, bouncing off the nearby wall then rolling towards the door where someone’s foot stopped it.

And of course it had to be _him_ who stopped the ball.

“You always stay late, Senpai.” The Small Giant picked up the ball, spinning it between his hands as he walked towards Akiteru. “Isn’t it annoying to clean up the gym all by yourself?”

“It is annoying,” Akiteru admitted, snatching the ball from the short boy’s hands, “but I like staying late to practice.”

“Even the regulars don’t stay as late as you.”

Akiteru began to spin the ball in his hands the way the Small Giant had, the way people often did before serving.

Akiteru shrugged, not saying the truth. He didn’t want to admit that the regulars didn’t need to practice as much as him. They were already good, already on the team.

“Can I stay and practice with you, Tsukishima-senpai?”

Akiteru stopped spinning the ball. He was shocked and there was a brief moment of silence before he responded, “Why would you want to practice with me?”

“You’re tall and I need to practice against tall blockers. The coach is always yelling that my spikes aren’t good enough and a lot of the older students won't practice with me.”

Akiteru felt his shoulders drop as he sighed. “I can’t exactly ban you from using the gym at the same time as me. I guess I could block a few of your spikes from time to time…”

The Small Giant bowed so quickly there was a whoosh of air, his upper body parallel with the floor. Akiteru jumped back in surprise and to make sure the kid didn’t accidentally headbutt his groin.

There was the wet pop of a lollipop being pulled from someone’s mouth. The two boys looked over to the open door to the gym, the black night sky visible in the distance, and saw a girl standing there. She was holding a green lollipop that glistened with saliva, a tiny black duffle bag, and wore her skirt way too short.

“Hey, are you two supposed to be here?” she asked. “Isn’t the gym, like, closed?”

“The coach gave me permission,” Akiteru said.

The Small Giant looked impressed. ”Really?”

“No. He just doesn’t care."

"So you have no idea if we could get in trouble for being here so late?" 

"None at all."

The girl laughed, loud and boisterous. “Well, I’m not supposed to be here either, so let’s call it our little secret, yeah?”

Akiteru felt like he was signing a deal with the devil, but he nodded.

 

* * *

 

The Small Giant was too polite for Akiteru to hate him, but god did he want to hate him. He wanted to hate his insane vertical jump, and the way his spikes burned against Akiteru’s palms when he blocked for him, and the intense look he got when he played.

By the end of the team’s practice, the sun was setting, yet Akiteru and the Small Giant remained. On the fifth night of practice, the girl showed up again. She didn’t announce her presence in the open door and just started talking, startling them.

“You know”—the Small Giant messed up his spike and the ball landed on his head; Akiteru grinned—“my little bro plays volleyball. He sucks compared to you guys.”

“We’ve probably being playing a little longer than your brother,” Akiteru said. He jerked his thumb to the Small Giant. “But at some point, age doesn't matter. That guy’s younger than me but he’s already better than I am.”

The Small Giant didn’t protest. That was another reason Akiteru couldn’t hate him: the Small Giant did not mince words and did not try to sugar coat things. If you were bad, the Small Giant would tell you. He would not think any of less of you for it and maybe, if he liked you, he would try to help you.

Akiteru grinned. “But I won’t lose to him.”

The girl smiled. “I don’t know much about volleyball, but that sounded pretty cool. Hey, are you guys going to be here in twenty minutes?”

“Probably,” Akiteru said.

“Great! Just watch my bag”—she set down the same tiny black duffle bag she had with her last week—“and I’ll be right back.”

The girl turned and jogged away.

The Small Giant looked at Akiteru. “Senpai, you’re really good at talking to girls.”

Akiteru turned red. “What? I just responded to her!”

“But you didn’t stutter!”

“Do you stutter when you talk to girls?”

The Small Giant grabbed a ball off the ground and said, “I’m going to spike it really hard now.”

Akiteru’s laugh echoed in the gym.

 

* * *

 

“I’m Tanaka Saeko, by the way.”

The Small Giant turned his head and let Akiteru’s spike go right between his hands. The girl was sitting on the ground just outside the door, watching them as she lit a cigarette. 

“But you can just call me Saeko.”

“I’m Tsukishima Akiteru. I guess it’s only fair if you call me Akiteru. You know, smoking is really bad for you."

"I don't smoke. I found this on a teacher's desk and thought I'd try it. I don't get the point so far." Saeko took a drag and coughed up smoke. Akiteru smiled, looking down so she didn't see. When she regained her composure, she pointed at the Small Giant. "Hey, Shortstop, what's your name?"

“I-I’m—“

The fire alarm went off, blaring over the Small Giant’s introduction. Saeko jumped, eyes going wide.

“Your cigarette, probably,” Akiteru said. “There’s a smoke detector right above the door on our side.”

Saeko jumped to her feet, grabbed her duffle bag, and gave them a brilliant smile. She left her cigarette and ran. She never smoked again.

 

* * *

 

Akiteru and the Small Giant walked down to the convenience store at the bottom of the hill after their late practice. A cranky looking twenty-something was sitting at the counter reading a magazine.

“I want a meat bun,” the Small Giant said.

While the Small Giant got his bun, Akiteru skimmed the candy section for something Kei would like. He must have been dragging his feet because the Small Giant appeared at his side, holding the steaming meat bun in both hands and taking monstrously large bites.

“You have a sweet tooth, Senpai?”

Akiteru felt a pain on his chest. Kei thought his older brother was like the Small Giant—an ace, someone with unlimited potential, someone other students were afraid to practice with because it would make them feel inferior.

"My little brother does."

 

* * *

 

Akiteru left the gym for five minutes to refill his water bottle. When he returned, he saw the Small Giant standing still as a statue while Saeko talked to him.

“Akiteru!” Saeko shouted when she saw him, waving her hand wildly. “This one won’t talk to me. Am I bothering you guys? I know you’re practicing, but even professionals need breaks.”

“We’re not professionals,” Akiteru said.

Saeko laughed. “Even more reason to take a break!”

She slapped the Small Giant on the back and he stumbled forward a step, looking mortified. Akiteru’s laugh mixed with Saeko’s in the raptors of the gym.

 

* * *

 

“Why are you always here so late?” Akiteru asked.

“I steal art supplies because they’re expensive,” Saeko said.

The Small Giant got himself tangled in the net he was trying to wrap up.

“Wanna see some of my drawings?” she asked, her expression child-like with brightness and enthusiasm.

Akiteru rubbed the back of his neck, his face red, and nodded. “Yeah. I’d love to see your drawings.”

  

* * *

 

Summer training was brutal and Akiteru did not have the energy to stay late and practice. But when the Small Giant lingered by the net, holding a ball and looking at Akiteru, like he expected him to stay, Akiteru felt something heat up inside of him. Hopefully it wasn’t his organs because he was already on the verge of heat stroke from practice. Hopefully it was his will to never give up, because that was becoming harder and harder to find.

The gym cooled as the sun set. After an hour of practice, they heard Saeko curse. She was standing outside the gym, struggling to toe off his shoes, and then she was running inside in her socks.

“Quick, quick!” she said. She was holding two half-melted popsicles from the shop at the bottom of the hill. “They melted a lot quicker than I thought they would. There's cherry and grape."

Akiteru took his popsicle, careful to hold it over his mouth as he unwrapped it so none of the liquid got on the floor. The melted liquid poured into his mouth, a few drops hitting his chin. It was cherry and sweet, and the coldness felt like heaven.

Saeko licked her thumb and reached over to the corner of Akiteru’s mouth, rubbing at the sweet stickiness. He turned as red as his popsicle. 

When she finished with Akiteru, she looked at the Small Giant, waiting for him to open his popsicle.

“I don’t want you licking my check,” the Small Giant said. It was the first thing he had said to Saeko besides his name.

“It’s not like I’m kissing you,” Saeko said.

The Small Giant turned red. He opened his popsicle the same way Akiteru had, with his head tilted back and mouth open to catch the melted liquid. When he finished, he tilted his head forward, expecting Saeko’s thumb to wipe away the sticky bit the edge of his lip.

Instead she leaned forward, kissed the edge of his mouth, and pulled back with a wicked grin.

Akiteru’s eyes were as wide as the Small Giant’s.

“What?” she said, trying to play innocent. “I like grape-flavor.”

 

* * *

 

Coach Ukai was harsh to everyone and the Small Giant was not above his criticism. If anything, the coach was harsher on the Small Giant. Everyone in the gym had heard the coach's words to their upcoming star: "As you are now, you'll never play in a match!" 

The Small Giant wandered off and did not return after practice. Akiteru checked the Small Giant's locker, but his school uniform was hanging up, which meant the Small Giant was somewhere.

Akiteru went searching for the boy. He told himself it was because he was a good senpai, that it was hot and the Small Giant shouldn't be outside without water. In reality, Akiteru had no idea why he went looking for him, eventually finding him behind the gym, spiking a ball against the wall.

"Better," the Small Giant muttered. "Better, better, better until no one can beat me!"

He was shouting by the end, his voice rough and hoarse. He turned; his eyes were intense and large, the way they got during the match. He didn't catch the ball as it bounced back and it slammed right into his head, knocking him down. 

Akiteru ran over and knelt next to him. "Hey, you okay?"

The Small Giant stared at the wall. "I'm not good enough."

Akiteru wanted to scream. You're already better than me! 

"You're drenched in sweat," Akiteru said instead. "You should take a cold shower and head home."

The Small Giant shook his head. He stood back up, retrieved the ball, and began to hit it again, with no regard for Akiteru. 

 

* * *

 

The Small Giant and Akiteru were ordered to get extra towels during practice. They left the gym to go to the locker room where the laundry was. 

"I'm sorry for how I acted yesterday," the Small Giant said. "You were trying to help and I pushed you away."

"It doesn't matter how great of a player you are if you damage your body in reckless training," Akiteru said. "If you had gotten heat stroke, you would have been out today and maybe even tomorrow. Sun poisoning would have been worse."

The Small Giant balled his hands into fists. He nodded, lips tight. "Senpai, I—"

Akiteru opened the door to the locker room. When they were inside and the door was shut behind them, the Small Giant pushed Akiteru up against the cool metal lockers and kissed him. His intense eyes were closed shut, and Akiteru couldn’t catch his breath. The Small Giant's breath was as hot as his sweat slick hands, and Akiteru did not want the moment to end. 

"I think I like you, Senpai."

The Small Giant kissed him again before he could respond. Akiteru kissed him back and hoped that gave the Small Giant his answer. 

 

* * *

 

Saeko sat against the wall of the gym as they practiced, her knees pulled up and her underwear just barely visible. She was drawing in some expensive looking (probably stolen) sketchbook and sucking on a grape lollipop, hardly paying them attention.

But even she noticed when the Small Giant hit a straight spike and shouted in excitement.

“I finally did!” the Small Giant shouted. “I hit a straight!”

Akiteru felt his stomach knot. He was a second year, and he still couldn’t hit a straight spike. The Small Giant was getting even further and further ahead, and Tsukishima wasn’t making any progress at all.

The Small Giant ran around to the other side of the net and pecked a kiss against Akiteru’s lips. Akiteru shoved him away, face red, eyes on Saeko, who was staring back.

“Um,” she said, slow, awkward, “want me to go?”

No one spoke for nearly a minute. 

Akiteru walked over and squatted in front of her. “What’re you drawing?”

Saeko paused for a moment then laughed. “You are _so_ awkward. Oh my god, you’re the single most awkward person on the planet, including the guy behind you who can’t talk to girls.”

“I can talk to girls!”

Akiteru smiled, looking down into Saeko’s lap and the flowers she had drawn.

 

* * *

 

The Small Giant was put in for the Nekoma-Karasuno practice match. Akiteru sat on the sidelines, watching instead of playing, bitter and angry.

Akiteru wanted to run away, to go home and forget this happened, but he had promised Saeko they would meet after the match and tell her all about it. Soon the only people in the gym were the Small Giant and Akiteru,

The Small Giant kissed him, smiling with happiness at finally being put into a match, but Akiteru did not return the kiss. The Small Giant took a step back, realizing the situation and recognizing the look on Akiteru's face. Akiteru could no longer look at him. 

“Don’t be mad at me for being better than you,” the Small Giant said. “All the upperclassmen hate me for being better than them. I like you because I thought you were better than them, Senpai.”

Better than them, but not better than them at volleyball. Not better than _you_.

“I’m not mad at you."

“You’re mad at someone.”

Akiteru was mad at himself. He was mad for thinking that he had someone with a guy like the Small Giant, who flew miles and miles higher than Akiteru ever could. Akiteru was bitter and jealous and angry. The Small Giant was everything he wasn't. 

Akiteru left. He would apologize to Saeko later.

 

* * *

 

The Small Giant did not come to extra practice the next day. Akiteru stayed anyway because he needed to practice. He needed to channel his anger into something else. He needed to keep trying or he would only become more and more bitter. 

Saeko brought three popsicles so they decided to split the third that had been meant for the Small Giant. They sat with their backs against the gym wall as they ate their melting sweets and Saeko flipped through her sketchbook. The book was stolen, but the beautiful drawings were all her.

“You’re really talented,” Akiteru said. “I can’t even draw a stick figure.”

“I mean, I can’t hit a ball across a court, soooo.”

Akiteru looked over and saw her smiling, cheeks flushed with heat, lips wet from the popsicle, and he swallowed hard. He leaned over and kissed her, her lips sticky and sweet like apple.

She shoved him away, frowning. “You can’t just kiss me because you and your boyfriend had a fight. I’m not a prop in your drama.”

“You’re not a prop. I just—I wanted to kiss you.” Akiteru buried his face in his hands. “And I just accepted that I was gay.”

Saeko sighed and patted him on the back. “There, there.”

Akiteru peaked at her through his fingers. “And you called me awkward?”

She punched his back.

“Ow! That _hurt.”_

“Good.”

 

* * *

 

Akiteru was practicing by himself, hitting the ball against the wall, when he heard the Small Giant saying, “Stop pulling me!”

He caught the ball and looked over to the door where Saeko had the Small Giant by the wrist. She looked triumphant in her accomplishment (Akiteru wasn't quite sure what she had accomplished) while the Small Giant looked terrified.

“She dragged me all the way up from the store at the bottom of the hill,” the Small Giant said. “Before I could get my meat bun!”

“It’s summer,” Saeko said. “Who the hell eats meat buns in summer?”

“Him,” Akiteru said, looking at the Small Giant, who did not break his gaze.

The silence was awkward and the tension could be cut with a knife, but no one said anything. Saeko released the Small Giant to cross her arms and tap her foot impatiently.

“Boys,” she grumbled, referring to the sex in general, not the two in the gym. “Can’t do anything right.”

She reached over, cupping the Small Giant’s face in her hands, and kissed him square on the mouth. The Small Giant grabbed her wrists in shock but did not push her away. Akiteru watched, his stomach a pit of emotions, some bad, some good. Mostly good. 

The kiss lasted seconds. Then Saeko crossed the gym in long strides, her skirt floating up with each step, and she reached up for Akiteru’s face. Her lips were sweet and soft, wet with what lip gloss remained after her kiss with the Small Giant. It was proper kiss this time and Akiteru could only react. 

She pulled back after a moment, red faced, and put her hands on her lips.

“There,” she said. “It’s settled.”

“Nothing is settled!” the Small Giant shouted in confusion.

“Do I need to show you again?” Saeko asked.

“No,” the Small Giant said, but at the same time Akiteru said, “Yes, please.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm really digging this ship so while this fic may not be the most satisfying thing ever, it's letting me get a feel for these characters. (Why are there no fics for this ship. WHY.) I really wanna write a longer fic about these guys at some point. 
> 
> It's also really hard to write a complicated fic with two males when one doesn't have a name just because of pronouns and such so the manga better give me a name soon so I can write some future fics.


End file.
